Bibimbap – Trust the Koreans to transform the humble rice bowl into a recipe that’s revered all around the world! With a kaleidoscope of seasoned sautéed vegetables, Korean marinated beef, and the signature fried egg, the thing that really seals the deal is the bright red, spicy Bibimbap Sauce that I can’t get enough of. I am a little obsessed with Bibimbap. I’d go as far as to say that it’s my favourite Korean food – but it always concerns me when I make grand statements like that because I’m worried I’ve said that about another Korean recipe I’ve previously shared. There’s no denying it – this recipe has more components to it than my quick ‘n easy one pot meals because all the toppings are seasoned and cooked separately. The essential ingredient in Bibimbap Sauce is Gochujang, an intense flavoured spicy miso paste that’s key to Korean cooking. Find it at Asian grocery stores (it’s cheap, ~$2.50, and lasts for ages), at some Woolworths stores (Australia), and here it is on Amazon Australia,  US, Canada and UK. Nowadays, you’ll find Bibimbap with all sorts of meat toppings but the traditional version is made with thinly sliced beef. The beef seasoning is usually a slightly toned down version of Bulgogi (Korean Marinated Beef). We don’t need big flavour on the beef because the Bibimbap Sauce adds tons of flavour. Some recipes even use just basic soy-garlic-sesame oil combination. But I like each component on my Bibimbap to be tasty enough to eat on its own so I use a scaled back Bulgogi marinade. The unique ingredient in Bulgogi is grated apple – this is a signature technique used in Korean marinades to add flavour, sweetness and tenderise! Nashi pear is also commonly used. Totally! Chicken, turkey or pork finally sliced or cut into thin strips, small prawns/shrimp or even fish fillets (cook whole then flake). This is the part that some people find tedious but I don’t find to be a big deal at all – cooking each of the vegetables individually. Shiitake mushrooms – soak in boiling water, then slice and sauté with garlic, soy and sugar. Fresh also ok, but dried has more intense flavour. Zucchini and carrot – cut into batons, optional to sprinkle with salt then leave for 20 minutes (I often skip this), then sauté until soft. Beansprouts – steam or boil until wilted, squeeze out excess liquid then season with garlic, sesame and fish sauce OR soy sauce. Part of the whole Bibimbap experience is how the bowl comes to you looking as pretty as a picture, then you get to dollop on as much Bibimbap Sauce as you want (I use about 2 tbsp), then after all that hard work preparing the bowls, you mix it all up and turn it into a delicious mess. That first mouthful… I try to get a bit of everything, including a bit of runny yolk. Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates. Recipe Notes:1. Rice - traditionally served with short grain white rice, can also use sushi rice (which is a short grain rice). Short grain is stickier so it's easier to pick up with chopsticks. Any white or other rice of choice is also fine. 2. Beef - you can buy finely sliced beef in the freezer section of Asian stores, and I strongly urge you to do that if you can, I usually do! To do it yourself (which I did for the video & photos), use any tender cut of beef suitable for quick cooking (I used tenderloin). To slice super finely (the "Asian" way!), freeze for 30 to 60 minutes until firm but not rock hard, then finely slice as thin as possible. 3. Apple - using grated apple and nashi pears is a classic Korean marinade technique. Adds a touch of flavour, sweetness and tenderises the meat. 4. Soy sauce - use light or all purpose soy. Do not use soy labelled as dark soy or sweet soy. 5. Shiitake Mushrooms - dried mushrooms are found in larger supermarkets in Australia, but cheaper at Asian stores! Use 8 large or 12 small. Sub fresh shiitake (but dried has more intense flavour), or any other fresh mushrooms (skip the soaking step). 6. Gochujang - a spicy red miso based based, lots of umami! Key Korean cooking ingredient. Find it at Asian grocery stores (it’s cheap, ~$2.50, and lasts for ages), at some Woolworths stores (Australia), and here it is on Amazon Australia,  US, Canada and UK. 8. Rice Vinegar - Sold at Asian grocery stores and large supermarkets (Coles, Woolies, Aldi in Aus), sub with apple cider or white wine vinegar. 10. Optional salting zucchini & carrot - this seasons the veg all the way through. I often skip this and just add the salt when sautéing. 11. Storage - This is SUCH a great meal prep! Keeps for 4 to 5 days. Also great bento box because it's terrific at room temp! Can also freeze the beef straight after adding into marinade (it will marinade as it thaws). 12. Recipe references - I tend to research traditional ethnic foods quite a lot before sharing them so my end result reflects the best bits of all of them and tweaks to my taste! References include online Korean cooking experts such as Maangchi,  My Korean Kitchen (Aussie Korean food blog!), Korean Bapsang and Beyond Kimchee as well as a bunch of Korean cookbooks (some browsed at the library, some at the bookshop and some I own!). 13. Nutrition includes 1 cup of cooked rice per serving. Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin. Yes Dozer. I am absolutely going to play tug of war with you, with that furry toy that’s soaked with your slobber. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. Is the nutritional information based on 1 serving? Asking as I’m a professional Muay Thai thai/MMA/Boxing fighter. Need to count calories and macros. Yummo. This is fantastic. And I made double so we’re having it again tomorrow night. Everyone is very happy about that. I’ve been instructed to put it on high rotation. This made my husband’s day! Wants it on a regular weekly dinner now 🙂 soooo good. Nagi, this is next level. We just loved loved loved this dish. I made this for my family yesterday and it was a super hit! It is so delicious mouth watering. This is my go to Bibimbop recipe! I switch out the protein (sometimes I use tofu or chicken cooked with soy sauce) but whatever I do it’s AMAZING. The sauce is one of our favorites! Thank you for sharing.